The final of Cornwall’s Next Head Chef competition saw Davin Browning declared this year’s winner.
Davin is from Moorland Garden Hotel, and his winning menu consisted of beef consommé with soy glazed shitake mushrooms, pork belly and scallop surf and turf with locally sourced fennel and a lemon tart with raspberry sorbet.
On his approach, he said: “I tried to be sensible throughout the process and cook dishes which I knew I can cook well. I never expected to present a perfect dish, as I don’t think you learn anything from doing that.”
He added: “I know that the competition is going to stay with me forever and help my career”.
The competition final took place on December 4 at Penwith College, after previous rounds
had been held at The Eden Project, St Austell College and Camborne College. Contestants accumulated points throughout the first three rounds in order to compete in the final, but were judged purely on cooking skills and dishes produced on the day.
On the judging panel this year; head judge Stephen Marsh, head chef at the Greenbank Hotel in Falmouth; Bruce Rennie, head chef at Clay Quay in Porthleven; Adrian Oliver, owner of Margot’s Bistro in Padstow and Nick Hemming, catering development manager for St Austell Brewery.
The task given to competitors was to cook a three course meal for two with a budget of £30. A new element to this year’s final saw the finalists each given a student from Penwith College to work with them as a commis chef, in order to showcase their communication and teaching skills under pressure.
Event organiser Ben Stevens, Business Development Manager for Delicate Trade said: “The standard of cooking in this year’s competition was incredible. We could really clearly see the development of skills by all the chefs, and they all had clearly taken on board the advice and feedback that was given to them by the judges from the previous rounds.”
David Ballet from Boscundle Manor came in second and in third place was Chris Randle from Silks Bistro and followed by Joe Fallowfield from The Square.
After the successful day’s cooking, the third year events management students from Penwith College organised the awards ceremony for 150 people with canapés, drinks and live music for local business people within the area.
By Stuart Armstrong
